Abstract

The genus Coralliophila H. Adams and A. Adams, 1853, is one of the most diverse groups within the subfamily Coralliophilinae. This group comprises approximately 110 species worldwide and is found in warm temperate to tropical marine environments. To date, only six species have been sparsely recorded in Korean waters, suggesting that further taxonomic studies are necessary to explore the species diversity of this group. In this study, we discovered Coralliophila pulchella (A. Adams, 1854) species for the first time in Korea and provided a detailed description of its morphological characteristics. In addition, morphology-based species identification was confirmed using a partial sequence of the mtDNA cox1 gene, as DNA barcode reference sequence. The morphological information and molecular data presented in this study will help species identification of C. pulchella. Given the global changes in distribution pattern of coral reef due to climate change, which essentially impact the primary habitats of Coralliophila species, it is necessary to pay attention to the changes in species diversity and distributional patterns of Coralliophila species from Korean waters.